The present disclosure relates to a dynamic stabilizing system for spinal columns capable of stabilizing the spinal column without spinal fusion using elastic connection elements connected to bone or pedicle screws.
A multitude of rod/screw connections are available for metallic rods and used mainly in fusion operations (spinal fusion). There are only a few elastic systems that only support and stabilize, but do not fuse, the spinal segments and, thus, there are only a few devices for attaching the elastic connection elements with the pedicle screws.
As a matter of principle, rod/screw connections that are suitable for metallic rods are not necessarily also suitable for elastic connection elements since elastic rods made of plastic material, for example, possess different properties than rods made of metal that are stiffer by comparison. Accordingly, elastic rods made of plastic material cannot be simply clamped in a permanent fashion by means of non-positive fitting (force-fit, frictional-fit or press-fit) since they usually are capable of reducing the clamping force by flowing. Consequently, there is a need for connection concepts comprising, aside from a possible non-positive fit-type (basic) clamping, a contribution by positive fitting or, ideally, a dynamic positive fit that increases transiently with increasing load and lessens with decreasing load.
WO 01/06939, WO 97/43974 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,892 include rotatable holding elements these serve the sole purpose of also connecting rods, which do not extend perpendicular to the screw axis, to the screw. Accordingly, these holding elements are rotatable during the attachment phase only and can no longer be moved after completion of the attachment phase.